Indonesian Food Rrecipe: Sauces

Creamy Ricotta Pasta Sauce – Now 100% Cream-Free!

Siti R on April 20, 2018

I enjoy the taste and texture of a classic cream sauce, but what I don’t enjoy is that they tend to be very rich, and filling. I mean, come on, I’m trying to save room for the tiramisu.

However, by using ricotta cheese, and egg, and some boiling pasta water, we can make a sauce that seems every bit as creamy, and delicious, but will still allow us to walk away from the table under our own power.

I added some pesto to mine this time, but that could have been some sun-dried tomato paste, or roasted chilies, or caramelized mushroom, or diced-up, leftover grilled veggies, or…you get the idea. The technique is really the thing to focus on here, and once perfected, you’ll simply be left trying to figure out what else to add in, or on this lovely sauce.

As I mentioned in the video, I love to top this pasta with ricotta salata. If you’ve never had it before, it’s worth a try, and not just for this dish. Ricotta salata is a great summer cheese, since it’s perfect with things like tomato salads, and grilled peaches, just to name a few. So, keep that in mind, but in the meantime, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:

For the sauce base:

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

zest from 1 lemon

cayenne to taste

about 2/3 cup hot pasta water, plus more if needed

For the pasta:

8 ounces dry pasta, cooked 1 minute under

1/4 cup pesto, or to taste

lots of grated ricotta salata to finish

Chicken Spaghetti – Because Cows and Pigs Can’t Fly Either

Siti R on April 03, 2018

A big bowl of spaghetti and meat sauce is one of my all-time favorite meals, and like most cooks, I make it a little different every time. The veggies change seasonally, and as far as the meat goes, sometimes it’s beef, or pork, or a combination, but for whatever reason, chicken is rarely considered. It’s usually only when I’m using up leftovers that I think to toss it with noodles. So, I almost forget how great this is when you dedicate a whole bird, and a few hours to the effort.

Other than requiring a little time, this recipe is dead simple, with the only major decision being how thick to make your sauce. I like something fairly light, I guess because it’s chicken, but if you do want something thicker, simply change the ratio of sauce to water when you start the recipe. You can also reduce it longer, but you knew that.

Just be sure to undercook your pasta by at least a minute here, since as you saw we’re going to finish it in hot sauce for a couple minutes at the end. This is a critical step, and allows all those flavors to get sucked up by the still hydrating spaghetti. This is also a great make-ahead meal, as you can prep your sauce one day, and then assemble the finished dish at a later date. Either way, I really do hope you give this chicken spaghetti a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for enough Chicken Spaghetti Sauce for between 1 and 1.5 pounds of pasta, depending on how “saucy” you want it:

1 large whole chicken (4 1/2 to 5 pounds), with bag inside cavity removed

1 jar (24-oz) marinara sauce (about 3 cups)

6 cups water or chicken broth

2 anchovy fillets

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

red chili flakes to taste

To finish the dish, for each person:

4 ounces spaghetti, cooked, drained (not rinsed!)

enough chicken spaghetti sauce and to please you

more grated cheese

1 tablespoon cold butter

1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

salt and hot pepper to taste

at least 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino cheese

Seafood Sausage – Behold, the Rarest of All the Sausages

Siti R on February 27, 2018

This seafood sausage recipe is one of those dishes you learn in culinary school, and then never make in a restaurant, the rest of your career. Unlike your more common meat-based sausages, which are made from assorted scraps, and you really don’t want to know, these seafood sausages need pristine product to shine, thereby eliminating the money-saving incentive of making sausage.

However, despite their lack of popularity, these really are a great way to take less than thrilling seafood, like some sleepy sole, and previously frozen salmon, and make something that seems far more special. The flavor is lovely, and the texture is similar to a boudin blanc, or white hot dog, if you prefer.

If you want something with a courser texture, simply make the sausage mixture as shown, but then fold in a few handfuls of chopped shrimp, scallop, or any other seafood. Once cooked, and sliced, you’ll see pieces of whatever you added studding the link. I actually prefer the smooth style, but it’s fun to experiment. Either way, I really do hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Seafood Sausages:

8 ounces boneless, skinless sole or other white fish

4 ounces boneless, skinless salmon

4 ounces peeled, deveined shrimp

2 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs

4 large egg whites

1 large whole egg

2 teaspoons kosher salt (or maybe 1 1/4 teaspoon fine salt)

cayenne to taste

2 tablespoons sautéed shallots

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons water

1 juicy lemon

2 tablespoons cold butter

1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

salt to taste

Sticky Garlic Pork Chops – What Do You Think, About Slightly Pink?

Siti R on January 23, 2018

This sticky garlic pork chop recipe seems too good to be true. It only takes a few minutes of prep work, requires no tricky techniques, and doesn’t call for any hard-to-find ingredients.

And for the last time, Asian fish sauce is not hard to find. It used to be, but it’s now carried in every major grocery store, and I consider it a must-have in anyone’s kitchen.

Above and beyond the sauce, which is also our marinade, the other key to this recipe is finding some nice, thick, bone-in pork chops. While this will theoretically work with thin, boneless “chops,” we give ourselves much more room for error when it comes to achieving the perfect doneness.

Speaking of which, I shoot for about 140 to 145 F. internal temperature, which will produce a very juicy, tender piece of meat. Sure, you may see a subtle, pale pink hue, but it’s still perfectly safe to eat, and you’ll be amazed at how much nicer the texture is, especially after sitting in the brine-like marinade.

Of course, if you’re one of these people who always cooks pork well done, because your grandparents told you about the horrors of trichinosis when you were a kid, then fine. Go ahead and cook it all the way through, until it’s nice and dry, but you really are missing out. You’re still not convinced? Either way, I really do hope you give these sticky garlic pork chops a try soon. Enjoy!

For the marinade/sauce mixture (would probably be enough for 4 chops):

1/3 cup light brown sugar

6 to 8 cloves crushed or very finely minced garlic

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon ketchup

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 thick-cut pork chops, bone in (about 10 to 12-ounce each)

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, or “Pizza” As We Call It In New York

Siti R on January 12, 2018

The biggest problem with Chicago-style deep dish pizza, especially for a New Yorker, is that it’s called “pizza.” I’m not sure what else it could’ve, or should’ve been called, but when you grow eating thin-crust, and all of a sudden someone hands you a plate of this, with a fork, and calls it pizza, it’s quite the shock to the system.

Having said that, for the home cook at least, this deep dish pizza is actually much easier to pull off than your classic thin-crust, which really benefits from a 700 F. pizza oven. Another advantage is that we don’t have to worry about too much, or too many toppings, which is usually the fatal flaw of a poorly made NY-style pizza.

One key, besides the buttery, cornmeal-infused crust, is to be sure your sauce is very thick, and flavorful. Some Chicago pizzerias simply use seasoned, coarsely crushed tomatoes, but I prefer using a sauce, as long as it’s reduced at least as much as you see here. Your favorite will work, but just in case you don’t have one of those, here’s a link to our official pizza sauce recipe.

I went with a pretty basic sausage and cheese version here, but you can, and probably should, add other things like peppers, mushrooms, and onions. Same goes for switching up the cheeses, but I do like the combo of fresh, and firm mozzarella. I don’t think it’s quite as good if you use all one, or the other. Regardless, I really hope you give this “pizza” a try soon. Enjoy!

For the dough (enough for a 12-inch cast iron skillet):

1 1/3 cups warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

2 teaspoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the pan

1/2 cup cornmeal

3 3/4 cups flour, plus more as needed

For the fillings/toppings (in order of application):

4 ounces sliced provolone

8 ounces fresh mozzarella

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing

4 ounces firm, low-moisture mozzarella

3 to 4 cups very thick pizza sauce (I made a double batch)

2 ounces (about 1 cup very finely grated) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil for the top

more cheese and parsley to garnish

- Bake at 425 F. for about 35 minutes

Mumbo Sauce – Is D.C.’s Secret Sauce the Next Big Thing?

Siti R on October 11, 2017

A friend of mine asked me recently if I’d ever heard of mumbo sauce, since she had just returned from Washington D.C., and said it was “everywhere.” I hadn’t, which isn’t a surprise, since unless you’re from the Capital, or select neighborhoods in Chicago, this stuff is virtually unknown.

Apparently, this sweet-and-sour condiment came to Washington D.C. via Chicago, where it somehow became a staple in Chinese take-out restaurants, served as a condiment with fried chicken wings, among other things. That’s as much background as you're getting here, and like many other regional culinary specialties, the history is murky.

All I know is that this was great with fried chicken wings, and I look forward to finding other uses for it, although I’m not sure French fries is going to be one of them. I’m a ketchup guy, and probably too old to change. Having said that, I can see this catching on, and for once, I’ll be ahead of a trend.

They say every takeout place in D.C. has their own secret recipe, but there were quite a few published recipes on the Internet, and so this is sort of a composite, based on the extensive, 20 minutes of research I did. Stay tuned for the chicken wing experiment I mentioned in the video, and in anticipation, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 4 cups of Mumbo Sauce:

1 can (6-oz) tomato paste

2/3 cup ketchup

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

- Please note: Every one of these ingredients is “to taste.”

Rigatoni al Segreto – Dinner and a Movie

Siti R on August 18, 2017

This Rigatoni al Segreto recipe was the most closely guarded secret at Gino’s, one of New York City’s most famous Italian restaurants. It was as legendary, as their signature zebra-print wallpaper, and it won awards as the best red sauce in town.

While there were rumors that the secret ingredient was butter, no one really knew for sure. Once the restaurant closed in 2010, the recipe got out, and indeed, the butter legend was confirmed. Having never been there, I was excited to try it, but there was a big problem. Actually, a small problem. The recipe called for just a half-tablespoon of butter. Regulars knew this couldn’t be right, and so the recipe remained a mystery. Was it a typo? Was the old chef just trolling people?

We may never have known; had it not been for a documentary called, “The Missing Ingredient.” It’s a great film, but despite the name, it’s not about the butter. However, there’s a scene near the end, where the old chef makes this pasta for the filmmaker, and it shows how much butter goes in.

He made a much larger amount than the published version, but I concluded that it was a typo, and should’ve been half a stick of butter. So, not only am I recommending that you make this delicious sauce, but I also really hope you checkout the movie soon (it’s on Netflix). Enjoy!

Ingredients for four small or two large portions:

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 or 3 cloves crushed garlic

a pinch of red pepper flakes (not in original recipe)

1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, blended smooth
1/2 cup water to rinse out the can of tomatoes

Small handful of basil leaves, left whole or sliced just before adding

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1.5 oz by weight), plus more to top

4 tablespoons butter, cubed

*8 ounces dry rigatoni

* This recipe probably makes enough sauce to coat 12 oz of pasta, but I like lots of sauce.

The Butcher's Steak – Too Good to Sell?

Siti R on June 16, 2017

This great steak is considered something of a butcher shop “secret,” but not because they’re selfish, and can’t stand the thought of you being happy. It’s just an odd looking cut, which requires a specific trimming technique to remove one of the toughest pieces of connective tissue on the entire animal.

Combine that with the fact that there’s only one per cow, and you have something that’s a little tricky to sell, although that seems to be changing a bit. This steak has become popular on restaurant menus, going by the name, “hanger steak,” and that’s led to it being carried in some of your finer butcher shops.

Even though it takes a little bit of time, the trimming is pretty simple, and probably easier than I made it look. Carefully trim away any of the tough-feeling membranes on the surface, and divide in half lengthwise, along the center connective tissue. Once that’s cut away, you’re pretty much done, other than deciding how to cook it.

Butcher’s steak is great in a pan, under the broiler, and of course, on the grill. It takes to marinades wonderfully, and can sub in for any cut of steak in any recipe. It’s not only tender, and affordable, but also extremely beefy.

This is probably the most strongly flavored steak cut, and some even describe it as having a subtle gaminess, although I think that’s a bit much. There’s only one way to know for sure, so I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 whole butcher’s steak aka hanger steak, about 2 pounds

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon clarified butter

For the sauce:

2/3 cup chicken broth to deglaze pan

juices from resting steaks

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste

2 tablespoon cold butter, cut in cubes

salt to taste

Bomba Calabrese – This Pepper Spread is the Bomb, Literally

Siti R on May 17, 2017

This amazing Calabrian pepper spread is as delicious, as it is unknown. It doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. Hey, even I have a Wikipedia page. But, despite the fact there’s not a lot of information available, I believe I got relatively close, and really love how this comes out.

As I said in the video, I like this best served simply on sliced bread, but beyond that, this is one of the most versatile condiments I know. You can toss it with pasta; add it to a sandwich; fill an omelet; top a pizza; use it like a salsa on grilled fish; spice up a potato salad; as well as create the world’s best deviled eggs. Actually, I’ve never made deviled eggs with it, but I know it’d be the best.

I was intentionally vague with the cooking times and temperatures. Basically, once the onion, eggplant, and mushroom mixture is sautéed, you add your peppers, and simply cook until everything is soft and tender, no matter how long it takes. You’ll probably stay between medium and medium high heat, but be prepared to adjust as need be. This is not something we want browning in the pan, before everything is cooked.

Another key is waiting for this to cool down completely, before you finalize the seasonings. We always want to adjust a recipe at the same temperature it’s going to be served at, since that just makes sense. Another thing that makes sense, and a lot of sense, is you giving this bomba Calabrese a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients to make about 4 cups Bomba Calabrese:

3/4 cup olive oil, divided

1/2 yellow onion

1 small eggplant

4-5 large button mushrooms

2 pounds hot cherry peppers (or about 1 pound after trimming)

1 pound sweet red bell peppers (or about 12 ounces after trimming)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup white wine vinegar, or to taste

Proper Pesto

Siti R on May 02, 2017

There are lots of recipes people claim taste better if made by hand, but there’s no easier case to prove than pesto. That the name means, “to crush,” should tell you something, and while this method does take considerably more physical effort, when you taste this you’ll forget every pestle-pounding minute.

The intensity of the flavors is beyond compare, and as if by some kind of magic, this gorgeous spread develops an addictive spiciness. You can taste each ingredient, and yet when smashed together, new and wonderful flavors are released. If you’re in the market, I recommend the marble mortar seen herein, as long as the inside has some texture to it. If it seems smooth and glassy, keep looking.

Of course, you can play around with the ratios of the five ingredients, and easily adjust this to your tastes, but no matter how they’re combined, taking the time to crush them by hand is well worth the effort. I hope you give this fresh basil pesto a try soon. Enjoy!

4 cloves garlic peeled

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large bunch basil (about 4-5 ounces)

3 tablespoons pine nuts

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated on microplace (about 1 1/2 cups unpacked)

1/2 cup mild extra virgin olive oil

Calamari Marinara – Would You Like That In 45 Seconds or 45 Minutes?

Siti R on April 24, 2017

Calamari is affordable, delicious, and sustainable, yet many cooks shy away from it, since it has a reputation for being tricky to work with. I should’ve said “unfair reputation,” because while it’s true calamari can end up with a rubbery texture if overcooked, there’s a very simple way to avoid this… by really overcooking it.

When it comes to calamari, it needs to be cooked in either 45 seconds, or 45 minutes, and nothing in between. If you sear it in a pan, or poach it in a sauce for a very brief time, you should get something nice and tender. However, after just a few extra minutes, the squid gets chewy.

Unfortunately, this is how most calamari is served, since it is easy to overcook, even for a professional. But, if we gently simmer for about 45-minutes total, something amazing happens. The calamari loses that rubbery texture, and becomes tender once again.

I also think it takes on more a meaty flavor, which I love, especially when using this to sauce pasta. So, if you’ve wanted to try cooking calamari, but were afraid of over-cooking it, I really hope you give this easy sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 anchovy fillet

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Serrano chili pepper sliced thin

1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more if needed

1/2 cup drinkable white wine

1 cup clam juice

6 cups crushed or puréed Italian plum tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 pounds frozen calamari tubes and tentacles, thawed, sliced into half-inch pieces

1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley

freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional

1 pound dry pasta

Fresh Strawberry Jam – Because Man Cannot Live on Clotted Cream Alone

Siti R on April 07, 2017

Actually, I don’t think you can live on just clotted cream and fruit preserves either, but regardless, as promised, here’s my preferred method for making strawberry jam. While amazingly delicious, and quite satisfying to make, I’ll have to put this on the same list as homemade ketchup. This is fun to make once in a while, but due to the effort, and time involved, Smuckers has nothing to worry about.

This version features a lot less sugar than many recipes, which is kind of crazy, since we use over two cups, as well as a homemade pectin puree, to help tighten-up the texture. Feel free to use pectin powder or liquid instead, but I think I did a pretty good job explaining why I don’t in the video.

Strawberries should be sweet, and plentiful this time year, so if you’re looking for a fun project, especially if your last fun project was making clotted cream, I really hope you give this delicious, fresh strawberry jam a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 3 cups of Strawberry Jam:

For the pectin puree:

3 apples, chopped

1 lemon, chopped

1 cup water

For the jam:

3 pounds strawberries, rinsed, and trimmed

1 1/2 cups (or whatever you got) pectin puree

2 1/4 cups white sugar, added in two additions

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Please Note: To test without a thermometer, wait until the jam starts to reduce and thicken, and spoon some of the mixture on a plate, and place in the freezer for a few minutes, until the jam is cold. If it's jelled, you're done. If it's still runny, keep cooking, and testing.

The Name's Cream...Clotted Cream

Siti R on April 04, 2017

If you invented a cream preparation so incredibly delicious that you couldn’t bear the thought of anyone besides you, and the other dairy farmers in the area enjoying it, adding the word “clotted” to the name is a pretty sound strategy.

While the name doesn’t exactly make the mouth water, the flavor and texture are the stuff of legends. The long, slow cooking sort of toasts the cream, which imparts a sweet, nuttiness that I don’t think I’ve tasted in any other preparation.

Most modern ovens go down as low as 175-180 F., which is ideal for this technique. 200 F. will work, but maybe check after 10 hours, and see how things look. The other huge factor here is the cream. Be sure to get the best you can. It should be from grass-fed cows, and have a fat content of between 36-40%.

Avoid anything that says “Ultra-Pasteurized,” since it’s been heat-treated, and you’ll not get the same results. Other than this taking a day or two, the technique could not be easier, and I wasn’t exaggerating when I said it’s one of the most amazing things ever. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 cups heavy cream

8 x 8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish

- Bake at 175-180 F. for 12 hours. Chill overnight before separating the “clots.” Use the reserved liquid for baking biscuits.

Norwegian Butter Sauce – Better Know as Sandefjordsmør

Siti R on February 14, 2017

My Norwegian pronunciations aren’t any better than my French ones, but as challenging as saying, “Sandefjordsmør,” may be, this amazingly simple butter sauce is not very challenging to make.

People get nervous about butter sauce, since many types can easily “break,” which means the butter separates, but because of the cream, this is extremely stable, and very user-friendly. As long you don’t dump all the cold butter cubes in at once, and just toss them in a few at a time, your sauce will not break.

Along the same lines, if you make the sauce early, be sure to keep it in a warm spot, since if it gets cold and solidifies, and then you try and reheat it, the butter will most likely separate. Above and beyond being easy, and relatively sturdy, this Sandefjordsmør is also quite versatile.

Not only is it wonderful on all types of fish, but also works beautifully with shrimp and lobster. Speaking of versatility, the same goes for changing up the herbs. So, no matter how you flavor it, or what you spoon it over, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

2 lemons, juiced

1/2 cup heavy cream

5 tablespoons cold unsalted, grass-fed butter, cut in cubes

salt and cayenne to taste

2 generous tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Indonesian Food Rrecipe